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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: dip · stock · mark · bass · squash · fan · straw · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. squash — to crush
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mark — a trace
  9. stock — goods
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. mark — a grade
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. squash — the sport
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. bass — the fish
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stand — to bear
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. bass — low music
  24. stock — shares

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com